The first active electric bus in South Africa, trialled and tested in Cape Town, was launched by Golden Arrow on 5 July, IOL reports.
At the Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) depot in Montana, Transport and Public Works MEC Daylin Mitchel and GABS chief executive Francois Meyer launched Golden Arrow’s two new electric buses.
Golden Arrow’s drive for renewable energy began in 2017, with the installation of solar panels at their Montana depot. This proved successful with two of its facilities declared carbon neutral in 2020, reports IOL.
This success led the entity to take on its pilot study of testing an electric bus. Partnering with Chinese bus manufacturer BYD and uYilo, South Africa’s electric mobility programme. The test involved two 100% electric-powered vehicles for a 12 month period. One bus was tested without passengers and the other was tested with sandbags, equivalent to the weight of 44 passengers.
According to GABS, the electric buses will be in service from July 2021, carrying commuters between Retreat and Cape Town daily.
GABS’s other pioneering trials include WIFI on buses, an electronic smartcard system and now the first electric to operate in active bus service in South Africa. The company operates more than 1 000 peak-hour buses with more than 250 0000 daily passengers.
GABS has a fleet of 1 171 internal combustion engines and the introduction of electric vehicles is a welcome instalment as the company is driving towards renewable energy solutions, where the buses can also be charged with solar energy at two of its carbon-neutral facilities.
Picture: Golden Arrow Bus Services
